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Trump shares Christian group's proposal allowing Canadian Jews facing antisemitism to flee to the U.S.
As he finds new ways to poke Canada amid an ugly trade war, U.S. President Donald Trump has amplified a Christian group’s proposal to create a legal pathway into the United States for Canadian Jews facing antisemitism.
He shared on social media a news report about a letter written by the National Association of Christian Lawmakers (NACL), which urges Trump to establish an expedited method of entry into the U.S. for Jewish Canadians “who are experiencing persecution or who credibly fear for their safety because they are Jewish.”
It points to “an alarming climate of harassment, intimidation, vandalism, threats, and violence” that Jewish Canadian families have faced since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, adding that “advocates working directly with these families report that more than 2,000 Jewish Canadians have expressed interest in relocating because of growing concerns for their safety.”
The letter continues: “Accordingly, we respectfully ask that you direct the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to identify and implement lawful, secure, and appropriately expedited pathways for eligible Jewish Canadian nationals and their immediate family members who face persecution.”
NACL founder and president Jason Rapert signed the letter, alongside state representatives and religious leaders, and it was sent to the U.S. president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and several U.S. senators and representatives on Thursday.
Trump shared a link to the report on Truth Social on Sunday evening, but did not comment on the contents.
The letter said that any potential program should maintain national security safeguards such as identity, criminal history, medical and security screening and protect family unity. It also called for the Trump administration to work with states, local governments, Jewish organizations, churches, nonprofits and employers who are willing to assist arriving families.
The letter comes a month after Statistics Canada data showed that Jews were targeted in 71 per cent of religious hate crimes in Canada last year. While this represented a 16 per cent decline from the previous year, it remained 50 per cent higher than in 2022.
Jewish schools, synagogues and other institutions have been shot at, firebombed and targeted by hateful graffiti in Canada since Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported earlier in August that anti-Jewish hate crimes accounted for 63 per cent of all reported religion-based hate crimes last year, according to FBI data. It marked the third-highest year on record of anti-Jewish hate crimes in the U.S.
The letter states that an expedited pathway for Jewish Canadians would be consistent with “America’s historic commitment to stand against religious persecution,” adding, “We believe this moment presents another opportunity for America to demonstrate those principles.”
Elsewhere, the NACL letter references Jewish and Christian leaders in Tulsa who have already offered to help receive Canadian Jewish families, and points out that Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt previously told Trump his state would welcome Jewish families who legally enter the United States .
You shouldn’t live in fear because of your faith. In Oklahoma, you can practice freely without fear of violence. https://t.co/EBn8ig4Xga
— Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) August 31, 2026
In a July 22 letter, Gov. Stitt wrote that “Oklahoma would proudly welcome those who choose to make our state their home,” should Jewish families lawfully move to the U.S. in search of safety.
The NACL letter concludes: “For generations, America has served as a refuge for people fleeing religious persecution. We urge you to ensure that, consistent with federal law and the security interests of the United States, that door remains open to our Jewish brothers and sisters in Canada who need it today.”
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